Help for Switchers
iMac Mailing list has list of sites for switchers
Recently, a member of the iMac Mailing list reported that he had found a Tangerine iMac on the curb. He has always been a PC users and wanted advice about how to determine how much ram was in the machine, the size of the hard drive and how to degrag the hard disk. One of the other members suggested:
BACKGROUND:
your machine is described here:
http://www.lowendmac.com/
imacs/imac-d.shtml
DEFRAG:
Optimization/Defragging advice from Apple is don't bother:
docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25668
(assuming HSF+ is the filesystem - it does it for you on the fly.)
BIOS:
your Mac uses Open Firmware which is similar to a PC's BIOS:
www.kernelthread.com/mac/osx/arch_boot.html
DELETING GUNK:
Easiest way (Mac OSX) is to add yourself as a user, and delete the old one. This will nuke their home directory and files, and leave you with a pretty much clean setup. If however, you also want to go back to having a virgin machine, then re-install the OS - MAC OSX. For Mac OS9 - sorry haven't used it, so can't offer advice.
MACOSX
your mac will run OSX 10.2 Jaguar probably, to run the latest version - 10.4 Tiger - which is not officially supported as you don't have a firewire port - you need to read up on XPostFacto:
www.opendarwin.org/projects/XPostFacto/
HDD/RAM AMOUNT
Someone did answer your question actually. OS9: Click The Apple top left and click on Apple System Profiler. HDD and System RAM are shown on the first tab. Mac OSX - click the apple and select "About this Mac"
FIRMWARE
In OS9 use the twisty at the bottom of system profiler labeled "Production Information" to see the boot ROM version. In OSX About this mac also shows you. If it is not 4.19f or $0004.19f then you *MUST* upgrade the firmware before (re-)installing/playing with Mac OSX. 4.19 firmware can be downloaded from: Apple
Later he added: Whops - just checked - I've given the wrong firmware version advice - sorry! All later macs need 4.1.9f - however - from this chart yours needs 1.2
SEE: docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117
It is always good to see how friendly Mac users can be.
Also see:
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